Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has fired the Pentagon's top military planner even though President Donald Trump is said to be considering renewed strikes on Iran following next week's midterm elections.
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Trump → fire → elections
Army Lt Gen Brett Sylvia was removed as head of strategy, plans and policy on the Joint Chiefs of Staff, a senior official told the Associated Press.
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official → remove → Press
It remains unclear who will take over his responsibilities, as no replacements have yet been named, according to The Atlantic.
uncertain
replacements → remain → Atlantic
Typically, the J5 director and their staff are responsible for generating and coordinating military plans with both the chairman of the Joint Chiefs and the president.
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director → generate → Chiefs
In the past, the deputy or vice director of the relevant directorate of the Joint Chiefs of Staff would fill the role on a temporary basis until the president nominated a candidate for Senate confirmation.
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president → fill → confirmation
But Sylvia is now the second general to be ousted from the post, known in military circles as the 'J5,' under Hegseth.
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Sylvia → oust → Hegseth
His predecessor, Lt Gen Joseph McGee, was forced to retire last October.
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predecessor → force → ?
Sylvia's ouster now comes as Trump has repeatedly floated starting new military operations against Iran.
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Trump → come → Iran
'Now is not the time when you'd want to lose the J5,' a former Joint Chiefs of Staff official told The Atlantic.
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official → want → Atlantic
'This person would serve as a critical link between the operational force, the department policy and the White House.'
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has fired the Pentagon's top military planner, even as President Donald Trump weighs renewed strikes on Iran
Army Lt Gen Brett Sylvia was removed as head of strategy, plans and policy on the Joint Chiefs of Staff, a senior official told the Associated Press
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official → serve → Press
In a statement, a spokesperson for the Joint Staff said: 'the Chairman, the Joint Staff, and the Joint Force extend our deepest gratitude to Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia and his family for their 32 years of distinguished service to our nation' and they 'wish him and his family the best.'
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they → say → best
The Pentagon did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment late Wednesday.
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Pentagon → respond → comment
Before arriving at the Joint Staff, Sylvia served as the commander of the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, until May 2025, according to his official biography, which has now been taken offline.
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which → arrive → biography
He also previously served as the vice director for the J5.
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He → serve → J5
He is the latest in nearly two dozen generals, admirals and other military leaders to be fired, forced to retire or otherwise depart under Hegseth's tenure – almost all of which have not been publicly explained by the Pentagon.
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all → fire → Pentagon
That includes the civilian secretaries of the Army and Navy as well as some top uniformed officers for the military services.
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That → include → services
Hegseth said last month that he ordered the military to double the cuts to the overall number of top officers to a 20 percent decrease to be completed by January 1, 2027.
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he → say → January
'I call it accountability and long overdue,' Hegseth told junior officers and enlisted leaders at the Marine Corps Base Quantico on September 30.
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Hegseth → call → September
President Trump has vowed to 'finish the job' in Iran after launching the war with Israel eight months ago and said new strikes are an option after the midterm elections next week
Yet
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strikes → vow → elections
President Trump has vowed to 'finish the job' in Iran after launching the war with Israel eight months ago and said new strikes are an option after the midterm elections next week.
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strikes → vow → elections
US officials have told several Middle East countries and regional allies to be prepared for potential renewed military action after Tuesday's elections as well as for the possibility that Iran will attempt to retaliate against them, two diplomats briefed on the matter said.
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diplomats → tell → matter
They say Trump has not made a final decision on new strikes.
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Trump → say → strikes
A third US aircraft carrier and thousands of additional troops are making their way to the region.
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carrier → make → region
Some members of Congress have criticized cuts to the ranks of generals as a 'purge' that will take years to rebuild.
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that → criticize → years
'He´s got some kind of like deep-seated grievance about leadership in the military,' Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., a former Navy combat pilot who has been critical of Hegseth, said last month.
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who → get → Hegseth
This is a breaking news story and will be updated.
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This → break → ?
The Aporia
